Taken
by sayah1112
Summary: AU. Kagome is your run of the mill teenager until one foolish mistake changes her life forever. Sold into servitude she must fight against her stoic "Master" for her freedom and, possibly, his love. R
1. Into The Night

Chapter One: Into The Night

"I don't know about this Yuri-Chan," Kagome whispered to her friend, her voice laced with worry and spiced with fear. "Mama says that the Grey district is no place for a girl during the day, let alone at night. I'm not sure we should be down here. What if someone actually sees us?"

Kagome tucked her sweater tighter around her body, pulling the hood down low. The icy cold of an October breeze snaked through the alleyway, rustling the scattered papers on the ground and sending a beer can tinkering across the way. In the distance she could make out the faint wail of sirens, the sound of shouts, and the whir and thump of the cars from the highway. She didn't know how she let her friend talk her into this or what it was that possessed her to think this was a good idea. It wasn't. It was a horrid, horrid idea. But Yuri would not turn back. Once her best friend's mind was set on something that was it. The girl could be as stubborn as an Ox sometimes, and as tenacious as a pit bull.

"Suck it up Kagome. I told you, Himo-Tailz is having their concert at Mead Hall. The quickest way there is through the Grey district. You need to stop worrying. Nothing is going to happen to us. The Grey district's got a bad rep but it's not all that bad. Me and my sister come here all of the time."

Kagome shoot Yuri a look from the corner of her eye. "My Sister and I. Secondly, you guys come here to hang out during the day and Serena always brings Raj along. Her boyfriend looks like a thug. That's why nothing ever happens to you."

Yuri shrugged her shoulders inelegantly, nonplussed by Kagome's apparent concern. Out of everyone in their group of friends Kagome was known to be the good girl. She was the worry wart of the group and although she liked to have fun she liked to do it responsibly. She tried to look out for her friends who were more wayward than not, and was used to taking flack for it. Yuri called it "Mothering. Like a mother hen. Always peck. Peck. Pecking." Kagome liked to call it common sense. Hell, she didn't even like Himo-Tailz, they were too loud and too screamy of a rock band to suit her musical tastes. The only reason she was here in this godforsaken place, nearly tripping over broken glass, bags of trash, and the prone forms of rambling drunks was because of Yuri. No one else could make it to the concert. Selena, Yuri's older sister, was off in China on vacation with her boyfriend Raj. Suki, another one of their friends, was home with the flu. And Aimee was grounded (apparently indefinitely) because she had taken her dad's car without his permission and then had proceeded to back it right up into a telephone pole. Which, of course, Kagome had warned her weeks ago against. But did any of her friends ever listen to her?

Nope.

Which was why she found herself weaving through the back alleys of the Grey district. A place known for it's violent crime and shady inhabitants. Drugs, booze, strippers and prostitutes were plentiful around here. Hell, you'd have a heck of a time trying to avoid any of them in these parts. The rumors circulating the Grey district were enough to raise the hairs on the back of her neck and have her diving under the covers huddled in a ball. But Yuri, always one to think first and ask questions later, had her heart set on seeing Himo-Tailz. And, it seemed, taking the most dangerous route to get there. At least twice a week there were stories in the newspapers of muggings, robbery and murders in the Grey district. As if that weren't enough to keep any sensible person away from the place, there were now reports of people gone missing. Specifically young women. Girls in high school, or just out of college were disappearing left and right around here. Most of them didn't even live in the area. They were, as Yuri and herself were right now, just passing through. Huddling inside of her hooded sweatshirt for warmth, Kagome tried to fight off the instinct telling her to turn back now. To drag Yuri by her hair if she had to and make a run for it. They could still go home. They could still get out of here. And no one, not a soul, would be the wiser. And, most of all, they would be safe. Sure, Yuri would be irritated that they had missed the concert... but wasn't that better then winding up dead? The heavy weight in Kagome's gut, and the distinct tickling at the nape of her neck, told her that that might be exactly where they were headed. Kagome always listened to her gut, and it always saved her in the end. She didn't want this to be the one time she ignored it.

"Look Yuri, I think-"

"Well, well, well... what do we have here?" Kagome's plea to go home was cut short but a rough, gravely voice. A man stepped out of the shadows, his form cloaked by the darkness of a polluted sky and broken streetlights.

"I don't know Han," Another voice, huskier and dark with intent, growled out from behind them. "But they smell young. And fresh."

Kagome closed her eyes, the dread that had been simmering in her stomach now boiled like acid up her throat. Great. Terrific. Wasn't this what she had warned Yuri could happen? By the shocked set of her friend's shoulders and the fear that was slowly beginning to twist itself across her face, Yuri was just beginning to realize her mistake. No one was invincible. And Kagome, in her insistent nagging, had been right all along. They should have never come through the Grey district. Not alone and especially not at night.

"Don't you guys have anything better to do?" Kagome put more bravado in her voice than there was in her entire body.

"Why don't you just step back and let us through? Trust me, if you don't, you'll live to regret it."

She placed a meaningful hand heavily on her pocket. A pocket that was completely empty, but they didn't know that. Yuri, wisely, kept silent. Turning to face her friend with shocked, sorrowful eyes.

"Looks like the little one is packing heat Han. You think you can handle her while I take care of her friend? You know how I love blonds."

Han laughed, and the sound grated across Kagome's nerves, sending a fierce frown to pull at the corners of her lips.

"I think I can handle the princess. And you know what Jim-bo? I don't think she's even really packing heat. Or anything for that matter."

Kagome could still remember the crunch of gravel beneath their boots, the smell of stale beer and rotten garbage. She could still see herself, as if at a distance, turn to face her attacker. She saw him make a grab for her- his hands heavy and callused with torn fingernails and streaked with soot and grime. She heard Yuri scream, her voice shrill and frightened. And she could still remember how, on that mid October night, something buried very deep inside of her had snapped. Something that, once awakened, would never lay dormant again.

Bright blue light, streaking across her senses, setting the air on fire with the intensity of it's glow. A raw, primal scream, one of outrage and contempt as that power was sent hurtling through the night air and across the alleyway.

Power, there was so much of it, and it had flown through her veins that night as surely as a hawk flew across a spring breeze. It snapped at her, pulled, lifted- leaving every nerve in her body raw as it lashed out at those who would try to put her into acute danger. At the ones who would try to harm who and what she was with their vile cruelty. She could still hear their shocked grunts, still see the whites of their soulless eyes rolling in their heads as she pinned them to the wall with a power she hadn't known she possessed.

"Run Yuri. Go home. Now." Kagome could barely get the words out of her throat. They had sounded harsh and strained even to her own ears. Yuri, for once, actually listened to her. If Kagome closed her eyes and tried really hard, she could even hear the sound of her friend's sobs and the slap of her cheap heels as she ran down the dirty alley way. Back towards home. And back to safety.

"I warned you." Kagome growled softly, her blue eyes as dark and stormy as the Atlantic ocean. She flexed her power, engulfing her enemies in the bright blue light of her essence. She heard them gasp, choke, tasted their fear.

And something within her rebelled. Her power was not for death. It was not meant to harm, only to help. How she knew this, was beyond her at the moment. But she did know that if she used this new weapon to kill it would change her irrevocably.

She pulled back. Called her blue light back into her slight and shaking form.

"Get out of here. Before I change my mind."

And, like puppies kicked one too many times, the two bulky, beastly men scrambled to their feet and bolted down the alley and around the corner- back into the Grey district and as far away from Kagome as they could get.

It wasn't until minutes later, when Kagome could no longer hear the frenzied slap of boots against the pavement, that she allowed herself to crumple to the ground. Her legs simply folded out from under her, her strength completely evaporated. She felt drained, fatigued, as if she had just run ten miles in under ten minutes. Her mind, ever practical and logical, was racing at the impossibility of what had just happened to her. Of what had taken place in this alley. She was scrambling for an answer. Something reasonable. Something that made sense... and she was grasping at straws. How could she explain what had happened? Why had a great blue light suddenly spring from her body and how could it be controlled by her mind? As Kagome sat weak and weary in the dark of her alleyway, searching for answers that she would never find on that night, she missed the soft yet confident pad of footsteps coming her way.

"Hello there my little friend."

Kagome looked up to see a wolfish grin and crystal blue eyes staring down at her.

"I haven't seen one of your kind around these parts in, well, centuries. You my dear are going to bring me your weight in gold, not to mention favors. But don't worry, you wont feel a thing."

And before Kagome could even begin to formulate a response, he was upon her. Her shaking, boneless

body no struggle for his sure and quick hands. The last thing Kagome remembered seeing that night was a pair of blue eyes and the asphalt, like a sea of bubbling black, getting smaller and smaller as she soared upward into the night sky.

It would be the last night that Kagome would ever call herself a normal girl. The night that her girlhood came to a distinct and abrupt end. A night... that would change her life forever.


	2. King Kouga

Chapter Two: King Kouga

Kagome awoke with a sense of dread and the feeling that she was being watched. She kept her eyes screwed shut in attempt to block out the world around her and tried, in vain, to keep the memories of the night before at bay. But her memories would not stay safely tucked in her subconscious. Instead they rose to the forefront of her mind, both vivid and shocking in their intensity. What had she done last night? What was it, exactly, that she was capable of? And where had she been taken?

The sweetly sick scent of dried straw rose to tickle her nostrils. She could feel the rough, crisp, stalks pressing at the side of her face. The sounds of impatient footsteps, the soft metallic clink of chains, and deep voices talking in hushed tones greeted her wary ears.

She didn't want to open her eyes. If she was asleep, is she could somehow slip back into the unconscious euphoric state she had just woken from, then none of this would be real. She could pretend she was at home, safely tucked under the covers of her warm twin bed. She could pretend that last night had never happened, that Yuri had never insisted on going to see Himo-Tailz, and that tomorrow would be another normal day in her average life. She'd wake up, get ready for school, kiss her mom on the cheek, and run to the bus stop. She'd go through her classes, gossip with her friends, and copy off of each other's homework during lunch. It would be just like any other day. With no freaky blue light and warm glow, no fierce blue eyes and cocky smile. And no heavy, cold, collar around her neck.

That last thought made her eyes snap open, her hands flying to the foreign weight on her neck. Questing fingers, tentative at first, met the cold bite of steel. What in the seven hells? Kagome blinked unfocused eyes, trying to somehow make what she was seeing disappear.

'This can't be real. This can't be real. Please don't let this be real.'

Thick iron bars met her questing gaze. She was slumped against a dirt packed floor, littered with old straw and long grasses. Dim light from flickering torches mounted on a cavern wall barely illuminated her surroundings. She appeared to be in some sort of medieval dungeon, buried deep within the earth. The air was damp and chill, and the rocky uneven surface of the walls glistened with moisture. Across from her a row of cells stretched down as far as her eyes could see. Within them she saw forms of all shapes and sizes. Al of them were deathly quiet, as if they wanted to draw no more attention to themselves than necessary. Across from her, a mere thirty paces away, a young girl sat curled into a ball in the far corner of her cell. Her shadowy hands gripped hard at her skinned knees, and her entire body quivered in fear.

There were more cells to the left and right of Kagome's, but they were all empty. Their occupants long gone. Why had she been placed on the other side of the corridor? Was there any order to this new brand of chaos?

Slowly Kagome got to her feet. She winced at the full body ache that was tearing at her muscles and gnawing on her bones. With one hand still on the collar that hung on her neck, she made her way tot he front of her cell. With her free had she reached out to trace tentative circles on the bars. They were, unfortunately, very real.

"What is going on?" There was a wealth of confusion in her voice. She looked around at all the dejected forms of her fellow captives, and that confusion gave way to sharp and biting anger. On some level kagome knew she should just keep her head down and her mouth shut. She knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that drawing attention to herself in such a place was only going to bring more trouble, and of the dangerous variety to boot. And, as he friends Aimee, Eri, and Suki liked to point on on numerous occasions and with distinct glee, their ever practical, logical friend Kagome Higurashi was occasionally overcome with bouts of insanity. She had, more than any one else in her group of friends, a fierce and fiery temper. Not to mention a backbone made of steel, forged in the fires of her own self righteous indignity. Not that Kagome was in any way arrogant or mean, she just wasn't known for taking abuse from anyone. Ever.

"What the hell is this!? Who's in charge here!?" Kagome's voice boomed through the caverns with startling clarity. Her voice was filled with anger and outrage as it echoed down the long corridor and around the corner.

Kagome hadn't thought it possible for her fellow captives to get anymore silent then they were. She was wrong. All of them froze, and a collective hush swallowed the room- as if everyone was too afraid to even breathe. That is, everyone except for Kagome.

"What kind of operation are you punks running here anyway?! Huh!" Kagome fisted the bars, jerking helplessly at the sturdy iron. They, of course, didn't budge even in the slightest. That didn't stop her foot from cocking back, and then slamming full force into the wall of bars that kept her caged in, though. This action was followed by a high pitched yelp as she grabbed her throbbing foot and did an awkward hoping lope around her prison, obscenities falling like rain from her lips.

"Wow that one has a loud mouth. And she don't look very bright neither. Kouga sure knows how to pick 'em."

"Yer tellin' me."

Kagome stopped long enough in her ridiculous dance of pain to glare daggers at the two oafs who were grinning like goof balls at her. They were gruff looking men, not at all out of the ordinary. Both were dressed in black cargo pants, or BDUs, with white ribbed wife beaters that perfectly encased their steely muscles. They were not jacked by any means, they just had the hard, wiry bodies of professional fighters. And the obnoxious tattoos to match. Both of them had claw marks inked in green across their foreheads. All in all they would have looked like normal guys, well normal guys who hung out in biker bars, if not for the sharp white k-nines that were flashing at her like mini-daggers.

"Who are you guys? Why the hell am I in here? Last time I checked I didn't do anything wrong." Kagome growled the words, the look on her face just slightly murderous.

The two goons actually had the cahones to laugh at her. Their eyes raked he up and down as they chortled loudly, their laughter ricocheting off the cavern walls to smother her in the sound of their voices.

"She looks nigh ready to kill us," One of them snickered, nudging his comrade with his elbow. "Look there! See? Her eye is twitching."

This, of course, started another round of throaty chuckles.

"Hey, Fric and Frac, let's focus here for a second." Kagome interjected, her arms folded stubbornly across her chest.

"Why am I here? What is this place? And why don't you let me out so I can kick both of your asses?"

"Aw, Lass, we'd love t' let you out. But you're a special order for one of Kouga's business partners and old friends."

"I think we should let 'er out Vrick," the other man chimed in, his grin eyes shining with mirth. "T'd be amusing to see the miko try 'n fight with her powers subdued."

A miko? Was that what she was? That blue light...had that been some kind of holy power? Nah. That couldn't be. Tales of mikos with the power to heal and protect the innocent were just that. Stories. Stories told to small children so that they believed in a higher power. In superheroes. Crinkey, what had these two been smoking?

"Alright Crackheads, let's get one thing perfectly clear," Kagome cheeks were flushed and angry red. "I'm not a miko, I'm not any body's special order, and at this point I'm pretty sure I wouldn't need any special powers to beat the tar out of both of your hides."

Vrick shook his head, a smarmy smile on his face.

"A human against a full bloodied demon? Who was it again that was smoking crack Dorn? I think the Miko's been dabbling."

"She must be. Makes me wanna let 'er out. Just for the hell of it."

Demons? Were these guys serious? Just because they had their teeth sharpened to fine points, and had gotten some crazy ink done, didn't make them demons- though Kagome was sure that thought it did. It was like that crazy vampire cult over in America. A lot of freaky teenagers had gone out, had their teeth sharpened into fangs, and had been drinking blood out of dixie cups- believing themselves to be vampires. There was a lot of biting going on too- boy had the media had a field day with that one. But, to the best of her knowledge, the "vampires" hadn't taken anyone against their will and kept them in cages.

"Why don't you let me out? I think I'll take my chances."

Or kick them both so hard in the nuts they'd be singing soprano for the rest of their lives.

"Can't. Kouga's orders," Vrik replied casually, his friend Dorn shrugging his shoulders in reluctant agreement.

Kagome's eyes narrowed into angry slits and a tic developed above her right eye.

"And who is this Kouga, is he your "leader" or something?"

The two goons must not have appreciated her finger quotation marks around the word leader, nor the sarcastic bite to her words, because their lips pulled back into full fledged snarls.

"Kouga is our King. And, little miko, he is to be both feared and respected. You're lucky he let you live. Most demons would have killed you on the spot. I know I would have."

"Gee, now why don't I feel blessed? And don't take this the wrong way guys," 'I don't really care if you do' went unspoken "but I don't see much to respect in anyone that'll kidnap innocent people and do god knows what with them."

Vrik and Dorn let out unholy growls.

"No one in this dungeon is innocent, stupid girl. That one," Vrik gestured to the child across from her cell, now watching them warily "has killed over one hundred humans, all of them children. She sucks their souls out and gobbles 'em up. Keeps her young forever. As a matter of fact, all of these demons are in here on account of murdering your kind."

"Demons, really? How stupid do you guys think I am? Demons don't exist any more than magical mikos do. You've been brainwashed, which is perfectly understandable. I promise not to press charges if you let me go right now. As a matter of fact, I'll even be a character witness for you when the cops drag your demon hides in front of a judge."

If kagome had been standing anymore closer to the bars of her cell, she was certain that the two men would try and strangle her.

"Look human, it'd be in your best interest to start believing what we're telling you. Your "Police" wouldn't stand a chance against us, let alone half the creeps in this place. We demons take care of our own and deal out justice as we see fit."

"Yeah, well, I'm not a demon and I don't belong here."

"You're right about that Kagome," a deep baritone voice drawled, "which is why I am sending you back to where you do belong."

Vrik and Dorn dropped to one knee in a movement so fast that the sound of their kneecaps striking against the hard floor even had Kagome wincing in sympathy. Her gaze flew to the new comer. Dressed in tight blue jeans and a loose button down navy shirt, he struck her as an imposing sort of figure even in his casual clothes. Jet black hair was swept back from his face in a low queue, accentuating his sharp cheek bones and full lips. He looked like he could be a model for a GQ magazine, all good looks and rugged charm. But it was his eyes that struck her the most. A fierce, burning blue, they were the same eyes that had bored into hers only the night before. When he had picked her up, tossed her unceremoniously over his shoulder, and...flown? No, that couldn't be right.

"So you must be Kouga. I'd say that I'm pleased to meet you, but then I'd be a liar."

Kouga smirked, shaking his head in silent amusement.

"That's a shame Miko, because I cannot express how pleased I am to finally meet you. I wouldn't worry your pretty little head too much over your situation. Who knows, someday you might actually thank me- I know that I want to thank you."

"Thank me for what?" Suspicion laced her tone as she eyed Kouga warily.

He replied with a cryptic shrug and a smirk.

"I'm sure I'll have many reasons to thank you- starting with how much profit I'll get from trading you off to a dear friend of mine."

Kagome stomped her foot in helpless frustration.

"I am not an item! You can't sell me!" She growled, "I don't get it. Aren't you guys supposed to be some sort of demon police? The good guys? What do you want with me? Why are you doing this to me?"

Kouga reached up to brush an imaginary fleck of lint off of his shoulder before regarding her with solemn blue eyes."

"You don't belong here Kagome. You never really have. You're needed elsewhere, in a place more suited to your particular talents. Let me assure you, you will thank me some day. I'm doing you a huge favor and someday I hope you'll remember that."

He turned from her then, nodding hat his two soldiers who were still kneeling on the floor.

"Release her and bring her to the temple. We leave......Tonight."

Authors Note:

Alright, so it's been a while since I've really written anything fanfic wise (Atleast that could be read on ) The last time I updated one of my fics on here I was fifteen years old. Ahem. So what do you guys think? I'm a little rusty with the characters... but it's a work in progress. Let me know if you like it or if you hate it and tell me why! I'm feening for reviews guys, help a girl out. XP

~Sarah


	3. Frozen

**Chapter Three:**

There were no words to describe what happened next, mainly because it all happened so very quickly that much of it was a blur to the young Kagome. One second she had been standing inside of her cell, tall and confident with the sturdy iron bars separating her from the three strange men, and in the next instant Vrick and Dorn were in her cell, placing heavy hands on her.

There was a lot of foul cursing, vicious biting, heavy kicking and gut wrenching screaming (_all_ of which came from the petite young woman who was supposedly a miko) before they were able to wrestle her to the ground.

"Ach! The bloody wench bit my thigh! I'm bleeding!"

"Serves you right you jerk!" Kagome shouted, her voice muffled by the dirt and straw on the ground. She had the distinct coppery taste of blood in her mouth, and though she hated it, she wouldn't hesitate to bite again if given the opportunity. But the bastards had quickly learned their lesson, and were able to subdue her with her arms jerked behind her back while a knee was placed at the back of her neck to keep her face pinned to the ground. She jerked her body, trying to wriggle out of their hold, but to no avail. These two were almost inhumanly strong.

"Let me go! Police brutality! Police-"

"Would ya shut up!"

"We're not you're police! We've told ya that already."

As if they needed to remind her…it was a last ditch effort to see if anyone was around to help. When no one came rushing to her aid, Kagome let out a sigh of defeat.

"Now, lass, we can do this the easy way…"

"Or we can _continue_ to do it the hard way. One of which ends with you unconscious. What'll it be?"

Kagome sighed. "The easy way." She half grumbled half choked, helpless frustration a hot and simmering mass lodged in the vicinity of her esophagus.

"Alright now, we're going t' gag you. Don't struggle anymore, it won't end well for ya." One of the captors (was it Dorn?) growled softly behind her as he reached around to insert a wad of white linen into her mouth.

"Gah! That's my thumb, god damn it she's got my thumb now!"

Kagome ground her teeth down, blue eyes narrowed in steely determination. If she was going down, it was going to be with a fight. The sharp, metallic, tang of blood spilled across her tongue, and she couldn't help but wrinkle her nose at the taste.

"Ah! You stupid bitch! Let go!"

Kagome startled as a heavy fist fell down on the side of her face, below her right eye, and Dorn used that dazed moment to free his thumb and shove the gag into her mouth. Dizzy and seeing stars, Kagome didn't struggle as the two demons jerked her to her feet, and bound her hands behind her back.

"Filthy wench. I've always said ya can never trust 'em. And a miko? Shoulda known."

"Well you knocked her one, but good." Vrick muttered darkly. "And do you think Kouga's gonna care that she bit you when he sees the bruise on her face? It's already black and blue ya idiot."

And it _hurt_.

A lot.

"And you've gone and knocked the wench senseless. What if you've gone and caused brain damage?"

"I stopped the screeching, and if ya ask me the wench's brain was already damaged. If anything I'd say this is a marked improvement."

If it didn't take the whole of Kagome's strength and concentration not to pass out, she probably would have tried to kick the jerk in the shins for that comment. As it was, however, she was struggling to remain conscious. Black was creeping in at the edge of her vision, and the right side of her face was in agony. It didn't look like he had put that much effort into the punch, but it had sure packed a wallop. A startled cry left her lips as a black cloth hood was pulled over her head, stealing her sight. For a dizzying moment Kagome didn't know if she had passed out or not, everything was dark, and her body was jerked up and over someone's shoulder.

"Do you think he'll believe me if I say she punched herself in the face?"

And that was the last thing Kagome heard before she finally lost consciousness.

Kagome awoke to the softly sweet sound of birdsong and the comfortingly familiar rustle of leaves in a brisk breeze. The smell of Autumn was riding heavy on the air, tickling the olfactory senses with the sweet spice of it. She cracked one bleary eye open, slowly becoming cognizant of the fact that the right side of her face was in a world of pain. Tentatively she brought a hand up to brush at the throbbing area, but was stopped short by the rustle of chains.

And then she remembered.

With a startled cry she jerked upright to find herself in a small, plain, room that was little bigger than a broom closet. Taking up the majority of space in the room was the pallet (much like the mattress of a futon) which she was laying on. The walls were painted a soft pink, and the room was lit by the natural light that poured through the small circular window far above her head. The window was ajar just slightly, letting in a cool breeze and fresh air. Beside her on the floor was a single white tapered candle in an old fashioned iron candle holder. On the floor by the futon was a small stack of folded clothes.

It was then that Kagome realized she was naked.

An outraged gasp escaped past her lips before she could stifle the sound. Cheeks a rosy hue, Kagome pulled the simple white sheet that had blanketed her body up to her chin. They had taken her clothes off? Swallowing down her impotent feelings of rage, embarrassment, and violation Kagome took a more careful look at her surroundings. Old, well worn, wooden floorboards met her questing gaze. There was what looked to be a handmade round loop rug by the floor in front of the door. Her eyes narrowed on the closed portal, her stomach a sudden uneasy mixture of nerves and fear. Her wrists, she couldn't help but note, bore the weight of old iron shackles. The chains were heavy, slightly rusted and cold.

Where the hell was she? Where had they taken her? And why were her clothes off? All sorts of horrific scenarios came to life in her mind's eye, painting a vivid picture of all the things that could possibly go wrong. In a matter of moments her heart was pounding like a trapped animal against her breast, her breath was coming in short and jerky gasps, and tears of fear and confusion were beginning to pool in her blue eyes. She gasped when the door to the room creaked open, and the craggy face of an old woman peeped around the corner.

"Ah, so ye have finally awoken youngling." Her voice was gentle and deep, a little rough around the edges.

Silently, Kagome could do nothing but stare in a mixture of fear and awe as the old woman shuffled into the room. This was her captor? Steel gray hair which was threaded with white, was pulled back into a pony tail at the nape of the woman's neck. A sinister looking black eye patch covered her right eye, but her good eye shone with kindness and compassion. It was, Kagome noted, a warm whisky brown just like her mother's. The woman was dressed in the garb of a miko. Vivid red hakama pants with a simple white haori. Her shoulders, Kagome couldn't help but notice, were somewhat stooped from either old age or hard labor (or likely a mixture of both).

Kagome watched, confused and scared, as the woman reached within the confines of her haori and pulled out an old skeleton key that was affixed to a thin piece of string. She tossed it, underhanded, so that it landed on Kagome's lap.

"That's the key to yon shackles, girl. My name is Kaede, and I will be most pleased to answer any questions ye may have after ye have gotten dressed. I will return in a few moments. Make haste."

And with that said, the woman shuffled her way out of the room, closing the door softly behind her.

With shaking hands, and tears cutting twin paths down her cheeks, Kagome undid the locks on each of her shackles. Her heart lurched at the grating metal sound of the lock jerking free. When the shackles came off, her arms immediately felt lighter than air. Rubbing the feeling back into her wrists, Kagome eyed the clothes left for her by the futon with a discerning eye. She still did not understand how she was without clothes (even her undergarments had been removed) or what had been done to her while she was unconscious. Something, however, was better than nothing so with a fortifying breath Kagome eased herself into the clothes left for her. They were old fashioned, that was for sure, and perfectly matched the older woman's outfit.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Kagome tried to regain control of her emotions. She had no idea what was going on, no idea why she was here or what was about to happen to her. All she wanted to do was go home and see her family, pretend like none of this ever happened. The more she thought about it, the tighter her throat seemed to get and the more her eyes burned with unshed tears.

A gentle rapping at the door heralded Kaede's return, and with a deep breath Kagome bit back her tears as the elderly woman shuffled again into the small room.

A small smile pulled at the corners of her lips at the sight of Kagome in her miko clothing.

"Come, it is much too cramped in here for us to talk comfortably, and these old bones are in need of ease after such a long day." The old woman beckoned her forward and out of the door.

Was it just her, or did this not seem at all like any sort of kidnapping she had ever heard of? The woman seemed genuinely kind and friendly, not at all the type to kidnap someone's daughter and sell her off to the highest bidder. What was going on here? Curious, Kagome followed the elderly woman as she shuffled out the door and down a narrow, but short, hallway. It didn't Kagome very long to discover that she was in a small cottage. The walls and floors were made of simple warm brown wood. The hallway opened up into a sparsely furnished room that appeared to serve as a kitchen, dining area, and living room. There was a hearth against the far wall, and a small fire was already crackling merrily within it. Next to that was a counter and storage area that housed several jars and clay pots full of pickled vegetables and jams. Above head, dried bundles of herbs and flowers hung from the open rafters. There were several wide windows that looked out onto a beautiful vista of green fields that ended at the towering line of ancient trees. The wood beneath her feet creaked as they walked across the main area of the cottage, toward the kitchen.

"Where am I?" Wherever she was, she certainly wasn't anywhere near Tokyo. Kagome couldn't remember the last time she had left the city, nor when she had last looked out over the horizon and _not_ seen a skyscraper dotting it.

The woman, Kaede, motioned toward a table and two chairs that were set up next to one of the windows.

"We have much to discuss, ye and I. Take a seat and I will do my best to explain."

Tentatively, and with no small amount of reluctance, Kagome eased herself into one of the proffered chairs. It, like everything else in the cottage, appeared to be homemade. There were no lights or lamps, no oven or refrigerator. There were absolutely no modern comforts in this place at all. If Kagome didn't know better, she'd say she had somehow managed to land herself back in the past circa 1800.

"Child, what is yer name?" The question startled Kagome out of her quiet introspection.

"Kagome." She answered the question immediately and truthfully. The woman across from her seemed genuine enough after all.

"Ah, Kagome. That is certainly a unique name." Kaede sighed, leaning back in her chair.

"What I have to tell ye is going to seem far-fetched, and there is much to explain. It would be easiest for both of us if ye let me speak uninterrupted, and hold all questions til' I have finished."

Kagome silently nodded her acquiescence, a chill feeling of foreboding sending icy hot prickles up her spine.

"For ye, what I am about to tell ye happened long ago, 500 years ago if my math is correct. But for myself, it was as if it were yesterday. My elder sister was a great miko of tremendous power. She was a miko known far and wide for the holy power she wielded, and also for her kindness and compassion."

Kaede's gaze went distant in remembrance. "My sister Kikyo was as beautiful as she was kind, and was so strong of will. Ye resemble her remarkably, Kagome. So much so that at first sight I thought ye to be a demon who had somehow acquired her likeness."

Shaking her head, Kaede continued.

"One night, when I was naught more than a young child, a group of demon slayers came to our village in the dead of night on a mission of great importance. Ye see, in their possession they carried the Shikon no Tama, the jewel of four souls. This jewel was both a great and terrible thing. It had the power to corrupt the hearts of the purest of men, and gave incredible strength and power to the being who possessed it. All sorts of demons desired the jewel for themselves. It is said that the Jewel will grant the user one wish. Ye could wish for anything, anything at all, and yer desires would be granted." Kaede openly scoffed at this.

"As ye can imagine, many wanted the jewel for selfish reasons, human and demon alike. The lure of power and wealth brought many to the demon slayer's doorstep. Even the demon slayers themselves were not immune to the lure of the jewels power. After a particularly vicious attack, they brought the jewel to the only person they believed who could both purify it, and remain invincible to its insidious temptation. That person was my sister."

Kaede cleared her throat.

"I will never forget that day. Not as long as I live. Without a word, Kikyo took the Shikon no tama from the demon slayers, knowing that it would affect the rest of her life. As long as she was alive, she would always be known as the guardian of the jewel of four souls. If my sister had ever imagined a life for herself outside of her craft, I know naught. I do know that all such thoughts of freedom would have forever fled once that jewel was placed in her palm." Kaede closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Our village, which had always been quiet and peaceful, had suddenly become quite the hub of activity. Demons from across the country flocked to our village, intent of stealing the jewel for themselves. Time after time my sister fought them off. Demons, humans…and half breeds."

Kagome cocked a brow at this, and Kaede hastened to explain.

"Half breeds are the offspring of a human and demon parent. They, above all others, desire the jewel for the power it would bring them. Despised by humans and ostracized by demons, half breeds… they have no real place in the world. Which, I suppose, is where our story begins."

Kagome sat in disbelieving silence as Kaede went on to explain about a hanyou named Inuyasha, his stubbornness and pride, and how his hurt heart had been healed and gentled by Kikyo's kindness and compassion. It was a tragic story, and despite herself, Kagome found herself in tears by the end of it.

"She sealed him to the Tree of ages, cursed to sleep forever until someone can free him from his eternal slumber."

"But what happened to Kikyo, did she die?" Kagome couldn't help but ask, wiping discretely at the corners of her eyes. What Kaede had said earlier was true, the story was beyond far fetched. Unfortunately, Kagome had always been a sucker for a good story, and Kaede was a master story teller. It hadn't taken her long to get enthralled in Kaede's tale. But if she actually believed any of this to be true, Kagome was in a world of trouble. Master story teller she may be, but at some point the old lady must have lost her marbles. A half demon? A magic jewel that made you stronger? It was ludicrous.

And yet Kagome could hear the clear ring of truth in the old woman's words. Perhaps she was simply delusional…maybe she actually believed all that had happened. Either way, it didn't bode well for Kagome. What did the death of Kikyo have to do with her? It's true that the story Kaede weaved for her was, indeed, tragic but it didn't explain what Kagome was doing here. In the middle of nowhere. Wearing a miko's outfit.

But Kagome, despite the fact that none of this seemed possible, couldn't help but add to her first question.

"Wait, does that mean Inuyasha is…still alive?"

Kaede nodded, rising to her feet to hobble over to the hearth. With steady hands she removed the kettle from the flames, pouring the heated liquid into two cups.

"Aye, my sister died that day from the wounds she sustained. As for Inuyasha…he is both alive and dead. He is…preserved. For him, it is as if no time has passed since my sister sealed him to that tree. His heart is still, it does not beat. Yet his body shows no sign of decay."

"But," Kagome questioned. "Why didn't Kikyo just kill him? Or the villagers after she sealed him? Anyone could have just finished him off for her."

Kaede's eye sparkled.

"Tis' true, child. I suspect Kikyo could not bring herself to kill the boy that she loved. Some part of her must have still believed in him, despite her wounds. And it was a good thing too."

Kaede raised the cup to her lips, sipping delicately on the hot liquid.

"As to Inuyasha's vulnerability…that is exactly why ye are here, Kagome."

"Come again? What do I have to do with Inuyasha?"

Kaede took a deep, steadying, breath. This part was always her least favorite.

"Not long after Kikyo sealed Inuyasha to the tree of ages, perhaps two years at the most, a great fire struck the forest. Inuyasha was almost burnt alive, and the flames certainly would have consumed him…if not for Lord Sesshoumaru."

"Lord Sesshoumaru?" The way the old woman said his name… it was with a touch of awe and reverence.

"Aye. Lord Sesshoumaru is Inuyasha's elder brother. Well, half-brother, to be precise. The Lord is a full blooded demon, and one of a most terrible power to boot. There are none who can match him in strength, or wit. And when he found out what had befallen his younger brother…"

Kaede closed her eye briefly, a telling shudder tracing down her spine.

"The Lord flew into a rage the likes of which I have never seen, and hope I never have to see again. Though by all means there was no love lost between the brothers, methinks the Lord was affronted to see one of his lineage in such a vulnerable and humiliating position." Here her face darkened, a scowl pulling at the corners of her lips. "When he realized that there was nothing that he, or any other youkai, monk, or miko could do to break my sister's curse he contacted a powerful youkai sorcerer. The two of them came up with a means of forever protecting Inuyasha from harm…until the day he could be freed, that is."

Kagome wasn't sure she liked where this was going.

"And…what was that?"

"The sorcerer cast a spell that would freeze time around the forest. No one can enter, unless bidden, and none can leave. This spell makes sure that things such as fire, floods, and other natural disasters can not touch Inuyasha's forest."

"Wait, I don't get it. How is that even possible?"

Kaede pursed her lips. "It was as if the sorcerer scooped up the land, and threw it into another realm. Time exists all around it. My time, your time, the past and the future…but very few can access it. One of them happens to be Lord Sesshoumaru."

"Okay…so what does that have to do with me?" Kagome was beginning to get frustrated. She no longer wanted to play along with the old woman, it was time to get down to business.

"The forest needs a priestess of power to guard it from attack. It was a miko that sealed the boy to the tree, and so the Lord deems it only fit that a miko be the one to watch over him. I myself have been charged with the task of training each miko that guards Inuyasha's forest."

"Each miko…just how many of them have there been?"

And that's when Kaede raised her gaze to meet Kagome's incredulous stare. The look in the woman's eyes was nothing short of…haunted.

"There have been over two hundred mikos, Kagome. I have seen them come and go. It seems the Lord of the West could no longer find any mikos of power in his time…not until you were sent to him. From the future."

Kagome sputtered and coughed.

"This is ridiculous! I have had enough of this!" She surged to her feet, blue eyes snapping daggers.

"Thanks for the tea, and the story, but I don't believe in fairy tales. I'm getting out of here."

Kagome crossed the room in long, quick , strides before wrenching the front door to the cabin open. "I'm leaving now. Don't bother trying to stop me."

Kaede sighed from her seat at the table, and leaned back in her chair. "Go on with ye girl. Ye'll be back in time for supper." The old woman didn't even wince as the young woman stormed out of the cabin, slamming the door behind her.

They never believed her the first time around. They always had to see it for themselves. It was as she had told Kagome only minutes ago, no one could leave this place. Not without the Lord's august permission. The only exception to the rule was death. At least, for the others it was. For Kaede? She was the sister of the woman who had sealed Inuyasha to the tree, and so her punishment was…eternal life. She had lived so very long in this limbo, that it no longer bothered her.

Once she had hoped she would find the miko who had power enough to rival her sister's, the miko who would break the curse. But after hundreds of years of living …Kaede had given up. There were none as powerful as her sister. She, and this girl Kagome, were doomed to live here for quite some time together. At least the girl's journey ended at death. For Kaede…it was a journey that would never end.

Or so she had thought.


End file.
